Plot summary

In 1910, Jane Parker (Bo Derek) travels to West Africa seeking adventurer James Parker (Richard Harris), the father she has never known. She pays for passage on a small boat, but when drunken sailors break into her cabin, she shoots at them and subsequently sails to Parker's camp on a supply boat. Parker is stunned when Jane steps off the boat, noting she looks exactly like her mother, Elizabeth. Harry Holt (John Philip Law), the expedition photographer, is surprised to learn Parker has a daughter and insists Jane take his tent. Holt also introduces Jane to her father's mistress, a native woman Parker calls "Africa" (Akushula Selayah).That night, Jane dines with Parker and informs him that her mother recently died, leaving Jane a wealthy heiress. She hates her father for leaving shortly after her birth and only knows him through newspaper clippings of his adventures. Parker insists he loved them and still carries a photograph of his wife and baby daughter.In the morning, Jane learns that her father is searching for the legendary elephant graveyard, and declares she is joining the expedition over Parker's objections. Jane is adamant, so Parker gives her a pistol, and they set off into the jungle. Later, they reach a mountain of rock that must be scaled. As they camp for the night, Parker announces Jane must return to base camp in the morning and report on his "remarkable" progress. That evening, they hear someone yell and Parker claims it is the legendary Tarzan (Miles O'Keeffe), a gigantic white man who might be half ape. The native porters are frightened of Tarzan and do not want to continue, so Parker offers more money. When Tarzan yells again, Parker orders Africa to shame the workers by telling them she is not afraid to continue.The next day, Jane announces she is climbing the mountain, too, despite her father's protests. The rope wears thin as each person scales the mountain face, and as the last worker climbs, the rope breaks and the man falls to his death. Later, Parker shows Jane a map he found in a Cairo, Egypt, museum revealing the route taken by an Egyptian expedition 1,000 years ago to a graveyard of ivory near an inland sea. Jane is doubtful, but as they continue to hike through a river, Parker hears the sound of waves.The group runs through the jungle and onto the beach of the inland sea. While the others continue on their trek, Jane insists on bathing alone, and plans to meet them at the campsite. After bathing, a lion runs onto the beach, and she dives back into the water. The lion watches her until Tarzan yells, and runs onto the beach to pet the animal. When a large wave washes over Jane, Tarzan attempts to save her, but she thinks he is attacking and tries to escape. Moments later, a shot scares the lion away and a second shot drives Tarzan away as Parker and Holt arrive to rescue Jane.As they camp that night, Parker insists the "ape" desires Jane. Parker plans to kill Tarzan and hang his stuffed body as a trophy. However, Jane declares Tarzan is a man, and she knows he did not want to hurt her. As they journey through the jungle, the expedition is unaware that members of an unfriendly tribe follow them. Africa is abducted by the savage tribe, but Parker mistakenly thinks Tarzan kidnapped her and it fuels his desire to kill the ape man.As they continue through the jungle, Jane stops at the river to fill her canteen and Parker orders Holt to watch her. However, Holt turns his back for a second and Tarzan pulls Jane under the water and they disappear. He carries her through the jungle, swinging on vines. When they stop, Jane fires her gun as a warning, and Tarzan runs away.Jane maneuvers through the jungle and hears a shot fired in the distance as Parker and Holt try to locate her. She fires in response and leans against a tree to wait for them. However, an enormous snake wraps itself around her and she falls into the water while struggling to escape. Tarzan swings to the rescue, battles the snake, and carries Jane off. He swings her through the jungle until he cannot move anymore, then drops to the ground, unconscious. Chimpanzees and an orangutan surround their friend, and an elephant lifts Tarzan with its tusks and carries him to a nearby river. Jane follows and rips a piece off her skirt, wets the cloth and bathes Tarzan. When Tarzan awakens, Jane realizes he does not understand what she is saying. The humans and monkeys swim together and when it gets dark, Tarzan takes Jane to his bower in the trees where they sleep. In the morning as they bathe, Tarzan is intrigued by Jane's bare breasts. Although he cannot understand her, Jane confides that she is still a virgin and assumes he is one, too.Meanwhile, Parker, Holt and a guide lead separate search parties looking for Jane. Unknown to Parker and Holt, the guide's group is captured by the evil tribe. Later, Parker and Holt meet on the beach. Jane tracks the search parties' shots and runs onto the sand, followed by Tarzan. Parker aims his rifle, but Jane tells him not to shoot, and Tarzan escapes into the trees. As Jane reveals that Tarzan did not abduct Africa, the evil tribe surrounds them. They kill the native workers and kidnap Jane, Parker and Holt, taking them by canoe to the village of the "Ivory King."Parker and Holt are tied up, while Jane is stripped, bathed and painted white from head to toe in preparation for being raped by the Ivory King. However, Tarzan leads a pack of elephants toward the camp and kills the guards. As the king moves toward Jane, Parker frees himself and attacks. The king knocks Parker aside and spears him with an elephant tusk. Tarzan's yell announces his arrival as he swings into camp and fights the king. The other tribesmen do not intervene, but allow the two to battle until Tarzan snaps the king's neck. Jane rushes to her dying father's side and they admit their mutual love. Jane asks Holt to tell the world of her father's success, then leaves to live with Tarzan in the jungle.